Competitors take nice-guy approach to Port City RibFest

Monday

Aug 5, 2013 at 1:53 PM

The Port City RibFest will feature 10 teams, and those cooks will burn through a serious pile of pork.

By Paul StephenPaul.Stephen@StarNewsOnline.com

Don't bother cueing up “Eye of the Tiger.” Nobody's going to be catching any flies with chopsticks. And Ed Coulbourn III certainly isn't planning on sprinting up the steps of any art museums, in Philadelphia or otherwise, to prep for his upcoming bout as a competitor in the inaugural Port City RibFest this weekend. “We're the nice guys. I'm not going to give you the Rocky Balboa story,” Coulbourn said about his business, Poor Piggy's BBQ & Catering. “We work hard, we keep our heads down and don't get involved in all the politics. We're just out to make a living and make people fat and happy.”The RibFest will feature 10 teams, and festival organizer Allen McDavid said those cooks will burn through a serious pile of pork during the three-day event. “In a good rib fest, they can go through 80 cases on the low end, and upward of 200 cases on the high end,” he said, noting that each case of ribs typically contains 14 racks. “It's usually about 45,000 pounds. That's a lot of meat.”Unlike the fiercely competitive events sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society, the Port City RibFest promises a festival-like atmosphere with live music (see a full rundown in the Play section on Thursday), a marketplace and other amusements. But that doesn't mean the competitors aren't taking the challenge seriously. The vendors of smoked swine will be easy to spot, with stalls at Battleship Park sporting sky-high facades boasting their numerous conquests. “It's fun and it's for bragging rights, but those bragging rights mean dollars,” McDavid explained. “People look at those signs, and it has a huge influence.”The event's full name – the Carolina Farmin' Port City RibFest – came about as a concept dreamed up by Paige Snow, owner of Wilmington's Good Vibes Brewing. He and brewery investor Slade McPherson teamed with McDavid, who operates AKA Entertainment & Media out of Greensboro. He's a longtime North Carolina resident and East Carolina University grad who has put on barbecue festivals for the past 10 years. Wilmington-based grocery store Carolina Farmin' later jumped on board as title sponsor.McDavid said that while the Wilmington market was on his radar, he expected to be doing business in Raleigh before heading to the coast with a major production like this. But enthusiasm from his partners and a familiarity with the city were enough to stoke his fire. “Wilmington seems to be a foodie town from what I've been able to gather from reading the paper and web blogs,” McDavid said. “It seems to be very food-focused.”Coulbourn of Poor Piggy's, who will be joined by Duke's Old South BBQ of Leland as the only local participants, said he hopes the event will provide his customers a chance to reunite with his cooking. Poor Piggy's, which began as a food truck, has been trickier to find in recent months with a booming catering business demanding attention. He's coy when asked about a strategy for facing off with such lauded cooks. “We're the David and they're the Goliath. You just throw your best dart at them. I don't have any tricks up my sleeve,” Coulbourn said, followed by a pause and shift to a sly tone in his voice. “Except a secret sauce that we'll be rolling out for this competition only.”McDavid said every cook has his own approach to the food, which will include a variety of options beyond ribs. He added that festival-goers may benefit from a little deductive reasoning before settling on one vendor or another. “It's probably going to be somewhat overwhelming at first as far as eating goes with all the big banners, awards and trophies.” He said. “You can only eat so many ribs, so you want to make a good call on that. Study that big facade, because a lot of that stuff will talk about their style.”McDavid said he anticipates a good crowd, thanks in part to Wilmington's tourism industry, and that the Battleship ranks highly in his book. “We're really looking forward to this. As far as a backdrop for a location, this is probably the best one we've had,” he said, noting that rain is his only real concern. “If we can avoid the water, I think we're going to have a really good time.”

Paul Stephen: 343-2041Twitter: @pauljstephen

What: Port City RibFestWhen: 11 a.m.-midnight Aug. 9-10, noon-10 p.m. Aug. 11Where: Battleship Park, 1 Battleship Road NE, Wilimington, just across the Cape Fear River from downtownTickets: $7, $5 for children and seniors pay $5. Go to www.CapeFearDailyDeals.com for $2-off coupons. Food vendors set their own prices, range is approximately $3-$25.Details: (336) 707-9188 or PortCityRibFest.com. Parking is free at Battleship Park, and shuttle and water taxi service will be available.